SPORTS FLASHBACK 1981: Steinbach wrestlers do well in debut at River East meet
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Three members of Steinbach Collegiate wrestling team competed in the River East Junior Olympic Wrestling Tournament, Saturday and performed extremely well for first-year wrestlers.
The three wrestlers in the competition were Deidrich Enns in the 131-pound class, Ken Klassen in the 151-pound class and Gerald Goertzen in the 123-pound class.
Klassen took first place in his weight class, with victories over much more experienced wrestlers, while Goertzen was awarded second place in the 123-pound class.
Enns, after winning his first three matches, had a tough match with University of Manitoba wrestler, Mitch Ostberg, who was a member of last year’s provincial junior wrestling team.
Enns suffered a minor injury in the match with Ostberg and was forced to default his final matches. He finished in fourth place in the difficult 131-pound division.
The Steinbach Club placed fourth overall in team points. For a first year team, their wrestling skills very much impressed other coaches and participants of the tournament, according to SCI Coach Frank Paulicelli.
The host, River East ended up with the overall team trophy, while Kildonan East was second and the Manitoba Wrestling Club of the U of M finished third.
The Steinbach team is small in number, but Coach Paulicelli hopes that the team will grow with greater exposure and a better understanding of the sport by youths and parents in Steinbach.
“Most people are unaware of what Olympic wrestling involves, often confusing it with the farce that is shown on television.”
Olympic wrestling is an art which requires precise execution of take-downs and holds as well as requiring athletes to be in peak physical condition, Paulicelli explains.
There are no submission pain holds, chokes, kicking or punching. Injuries are few, most being pulled muscles or sprains, if any at all.
What Olympic-style wrestling does demand is dedication and the willingness to work hard at increasing efficiency in all areas of fitness. Balance, agility, strength, endurance, flexibility and power, as well as the skills of the sport are all essential in becoming a good wrestler. The rewards are personal and lifelong, Coach Paulicelli said.
The Steinbach Sabres Wrestling Club is open to all junior and senior high school students who are interested.
Practices are held at the SRSS at 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.